This week Type One sat down with Hunter Wasserman to discuss his drumming career. Hunter, a senior at Pine Crest, has been drumming ever since his childhood. His long career in music has led him to insightful experiences and allowed him to meet people he consider his inspirations. Hunter sheds light on the life of a jazz-drummer, discussing his style, knowledge, and hopeful drumming future.

T1: How old were you when you started to play the drums?

Hunter: I initially began playing classical music and basic rock music when I was eight years old. Then, I went into jazz, which I have been playing for about seven or eight years now along with other genres such as Latin.

T1: What’s your favorite type of music to play?

Hunter: Jazz combo setting.

T1: How did you first get into music?

Hunter: I initially started with piano. Then my dad bought me a drum set when I was eight years old and I started taking lessons. The band director asked me to join band and that led me to playing jazz music and I became super interested in it and all the other styles. It took off from there.

T1: Who is your favorite drummer?

Hunter: I’ve got a few. Papa Jo Jones; Buddy Rich, Eric Harland, a young guy who is pretty new who I studied with; Roy Hanes; Elvin Jones.

T1: Why do you enjoy drumming? What’s your favorite thing about it?

Hunter: It’s a great way to get away from the real world because music is sort of its own world. It allows you to express yourself. Once you start learning the instrument you play, you can adapt not just what you know but who you are. It is another way of speaking because music is another language.

T1: What is your favorite experience with drumming?

Hunter: My favorite experience was this summer. I did a jazz program for two weeks at Stanford. During the second week, I got to play with people from all different ages and backgrounds. During my free time, I was able to jam with fifteen to twenty people at a time and some of them are ridiculously talented. There are students who come from all over the world. I got to learn from some really talented professionals.

T1: What is your favorite quote? Why?

Hunter: “Music is a language we all understand” – Stevie Wonders. This quote adds on to what I said earlier: you can really express who you are as a person from the sound you produce. You don’t have to focus on what everyone else wants you can do. I can read sheet music perfectly fine but what I do is improvise.

T1: Are you taking classes related to drumming? Have you taken classes?

Hunter: I took music theory honors sophomore year. I’ve been in jazz band since sixth grade. I’ve been in band since fourth grade. I also run my own community service project called “Teens with Talent,” in which other musicians and I go to nursing homes to play for the people there.

T1: What is some important knowledge you’ve gained from drumming?

Hunter: It’s a huge part of who I am. It’s changed the way I perceive not only myself but also life. It changes your perspective on a lot of things and in my opinion it makes you more of a whole person. This doesn’t mean you have to be talented or play a musical instrument, but it is very important to have music in your life in some sort of way.

T1: How will you use music for the rest of high school and your career?

Hunter: As far as high school, this year I will participate in Playing for Change and “Teens with Talent.” I also may be in the  Miami Honor Band later in the year and I may try out for All District Jazz Band. I might also try to get gigs for playing. After high school, I intend to play in some different ensembles in college. I will definitely perform. This won’t be a profession when I’m older but I plan on playing frequently and “gigging” (playing at gigs).

T1: How do you distinguish yourself in the jazz community?

Hunter: I practice a lot at home, partly by listening to things and transcribing parts of solos to adapt. By listening to a lot of types of music, like jazz, pop, rock, and other genres, instead of just jazz, it becomes part of my roots as a player and that’s what goes into making my sound, my sound.

T1: What would you say is your biggest challenge as drummer?

Hunter: Finding time to practice building up certain basic techniques because there is always room for improvement. Even at the most basic level of things that you have been doing for ten years, like learning rudiments (scales) and perfecting them to their greatest ability; getting the best sound you want but at the same time, finding the time to produce those sounds.

T1: What is your biggest accomplishment?

Hunter: Getting into the Stanford program because it was an audition program and the people there were really good. However, playing in general is my accomplishment.

T1: How would you describe your creative process?

Hunter: My creative process…I usually listen to a ton of music and when I’m in the moment, actually playing music. If I’m playing music that allows for improvisation, I just let the music flow and join in with whatever input I believe belongs. One of the challenges is adapting what you feel in your mind to the instrument as you think it…cutting down to the split second of time when you think of the idea to putting it into the music in the moment.

T1: What are 3 words to describe yourself?

Hunter: Innovative, ambitious, inspired – I’m usually very open about things. Anything I hear from other musicians or people, I am very inspired and it becomes part of the person and player that I am.

T1: What do you hope people will take away from your work?

Hunter: I hope that when I perform for people, especially those who aren’t musicians, they are encouraged to then either think about listening to the styles of music that I play, like jazz, or pursue some kind of musical instrument because it changes people’s lives once they start playing. When someone sees someone play and they think that it is easy because the person that plays makes it look easy or feel good, you are going to want to learn how to do that. I hope to encourage people to try to play new music because people think that this is something they can’t do but music isn’t too difficult if you work at it.